Show Individual H By Christine Botelho Four years ago this summer I decided I was going back to school One day I 1 got in my carand car carand carand and drove up to the U determined to start the process I parked got out and went in the student union building where I 1 stood for a afew afew few w minutes totally overwhelmed Finally I turn turned d around walked back outside got back in my car and drove off All the way home I 1 wondered w how I could keep my fright from o overtaking laking what hat I thought was determination It took a year but I decided to try again I had been thinking about it all year and was more than determined This time I 1 was totally committed to going to school I came out to Utah Tech not knowing exactly what to expect ex- ex and just a little afraid that everyone at registration would burst out laughing at the thought of someone of my age thinking she could actually still be capable of learning 1 I couldn't have been r more lore wrong Everyone was so helpful and within a couple of weeks I 1 Iwas Iwas was all set to start fall quarter I know that without commitment to what we were doing none of us graduating here tonight would have been able to accomplish wh what t we have Most times we would go day by day quarter by quarter always always' keeping inthe in inthe inthe the back of our minds the thought of tonight and the accomplishment of having gained an education 1 I was reading a humorous story the other other day about the Polish pianist pianist and composer Ignace Ignace Ignace Ig- Ig nace that exemplified the value I I of being committed to tp what you believe c. c in In JJ h 1 P r ys c 1 9 America m i a p per per- for form He He played in many of the major c cities ties 5 and people everywhere were in awe of his great talent A mother in New York took herIP her I. I 8 H year old son to his concert in hopes that herson her herson herson son would see the value of practicing the piano and hopefully become more committed committed committed commit commit- ted to his practicing They were seated in a grand auditorium with velvet seats and velvet draped around the stage with beautiful chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling The mother was having a hard time keeping her son entertained until the program started He obviously was not thrilled at being there While she was talking to someone in iri the next next seat her son got up and made his way down downto to the shiny black grand piano on the stage Not realizing he was gone she ste continued to talk It wasn't until until she heard the f first pounding pounding poun ding notes of chopsticks that she realized he was gone The boos and hisses from the sold out ut audience made their way back stage grabbed his jacket put it on and came unannounced through the curtain to where the young pianist sat at the piano He flipped the tails of his coat out behind him film sat down and joined the young boy in a chopsticks duet T The e young boy was wasi then escorted off the stage to his seat where he watched the rest of the performance He can canaway canaway canaway away with a anew new understanding of what he could do do-at do at the piano if he was was committed to his pr practicing Probably the best example of individual com commitment ent I can think of is that that of Leo Bauerman Leo was born with a a twisted body and legs that didn't work He was also deaf and in his later life he became almost blind He wa was 36 and and nd 58 pounds a as an adult Wh n f was was young he s committed mt itt i to being being ben be be- ing n the th best h be beHe He wanted ted t io to go to school the other other kids kids but was treated so badly that after 1 day mother his mother was a asked ked d 1 7 not to send him again Leo kept on learning all he could at home for he knew someday he V V would be alone and would need to care for himself All AH his adult life he did just that he refused to have anyone care for him His mobility came in the form of a cart in which he sat all an d day y selling lIing pencils gum c candy nd etc on a street corner in Lawrence Kansas At Atthe Atthe Atthe the end of each day he would wheel himself to an old truck he owned that was equipped with an electrical lift hit to get him and his cart from the ground grond into the truck J Leo died a couple years ago at the age of 72 For someone that had so little he accomplished accomplished ac ac- com a great deal Shortly before he he died he said I guess everyone is lonely and feels sorry for themselves at times but I never did believe in being a quitter I was so weak and sickly and being almost without any strength And know I lam am in business being all by my my self with all these strangers having such little trouble and enjoying life fairly well Leo was truly determined to be the best he could be Tonight we are seeing how commitment and hard work have paid off for us For s some some me of us tonight marks the end of our school education and nd we will hopefully join the world of employment tomorrow others of u us will prepare to attend other four year colleges or universities But wherever we we go from here lets leIs always commit to being the b best st we can can can- be d 1 f J uVo i 1 Tt 1 1 J c j. j n C il tlc TC C CONGRATULATIONS l TO JV EVERYONE RYO AND g GOOD LUCK FORTHE FOR FORTHE FORTHE THE THE FUTURE FUTURE 11 r. r t I. I |